End connection for structural steel beams



Dec. 14, 1948. J. R. FARRAR END CONNECTION FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAMSFiled Nov. 8,1945

IN V EN TOR.

wzzm- A 7- 'rae/ve Y5 Patented Dec. 14,1948

OFFICE END "CONNECTION FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAMS a John R..Farrar,Lakewood, Ohio Application November 8, 1945, Serial'No. 627,357

1 V This invention relates to a structural steel 'construction andparticularly to connecting means for supporting the end of a structuralsteel beam where it frames into a header beam, column or any othersuitable supporting structural member.

A general object of the invention istoprov-ide improved and novel means-for supporting theend of a structural beam where it frames into aheader beam, column or any other suitable supporting structural memberand Which means provides adequate support for the structural steel beamand allows for the expansion and-contraction thereof in the direction ofitslength.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved and novel meansfor supporting theend of a structural steel beam where it frames into aheader beam, column or any other suitable supporting structural memberand which means provides simultaneous supporting bearing engagement forthe web of the structural steel beam upon a plurality of spacedsupporting surfaces or bearing planes connected to the header beam,column or other suitable supporting structural member.

In the connections heretoioreused for supporting the end of a structuralsteel beam where it frames into the face of a header beam, column orother suitable supporting structural member while allowing the expansionand contraction of the structural steel beam-in the direction of itslength, it has been customary to have the beam bearing and sliding upona single plane supporting surface generally located at the bottom of thebeam. The usual arrangement just referred to possesses certaindisadvantages which will nowbe pointed out. In the first place in orderto provide sufficient bearing area for the structural steel beam thebearing or supporting surface therefor must project a substantialdistance outwardly from the center of the header beam, column or othersupporting member, thus creating considerable eccentricity of thereaction and a resultant torsion on the header beam or a resultantbending in the column. Another difficulty present in the usualconstruction is that the bearing-plane must be located adjacentthebottom ofthe-structuralsteel beam and must have its supportingelements extending a substantial distancebelow the bearing plane withthe result that the header beam must be relatively great in depth.

The present invention overcomes the difliculties existing in the usualconstruction by providinga plurality of relatively small bearing planesfor the structural steel beam located at different levels,

3 Claims. (Cl. .189'-.36)

2 with'the resultthat the eccentricity of the reacti-onrof thestructural steel beam relative tothe header'beam or column is reduced toa minimum and thereby there 'is :lesstorsion on the header beam-.andlessbending of the column.

Furthermore invthe presentinvention-the'lowest bearing plane for thestructural steel beam assumes onlya fraction of the-load and thesupporting elements for saidlowest bearing plane do-not havetobe assubstantial or as deep as-in theusual construction where only a singleplane isused. In a. connection embodying the present invention theentire connecting means may be located within the depth of thestructural steel beam and therefore the header beam or other memberwhich supports the structural steel beam need be no deeper than'the beamitself.

Although the invention is describedherein with referen-ceto a structuralsteel beam it will'beum derstood thatit is applicable to a trussstructure used in the manner of a structural steel beam or tea plategirder built up of a webzplate, flange angles and cover plates andconstitutingessentially a structural steel beam.

. In addition to the above enumerated objects and advantages inherent inthe invention other objects andadvantages residing therein will-becomeapparent during the detailed descriptionof ansembodiment ofthe inventionwhichisto follow'and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one end of .a horizontal I-beamconnected to a vertical column that is indicated by dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken substantialh on.line22 of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrowsand with=the column omitted, and

)Fig..3 ;is aperspective view of the end of the I-beam with the columnomitted and witlnacertain portion of their-beam broken away.

:Although the invention is illustrated as gembodied in theconnectionbetween an end ofahorizontal :I-.;beam-..and a verticalcolumn, it willbe, understood that this is donefor purposesof-illust-ration .since theinvention possesses special utility when usedin this relationship.

Thehorizontal I-beaml 0 has its end connected in accordance Withtheinvention toathe vertical column lil indicated in Fig. 1 by the dotanddash lines. 'Iheconnectionof the I-beam totheycolumn is such as toprovide adequate-support for the beam and at the same time toenablethe-beam to; have ,..,movement of expansion and contractionrelative to thecolumn. The web of the I-beam i0 is shown herein providedwith reenforcing plates l2 riveted or otherwise suitably secured theretoon both sides of the I-beam and adjacent the end thereof. It will beunderstood, however, that the reenforcing plates I2 are utilized onlywhen deemed necessary and that in certain installations and conditionsthese reenforcing plates might be omitted.

The I-beam I is connected to the column H in the following manner: Twoconnecting angles have their arms l3 rigidly secured to the face of thecolumn H by rivets or other suitable means. The arms 14 of theconnecting angles extend parallel to and straddle the web of the I-beaml0 and the reinforcing plates [2 if the latter are used. The arms 14 ofthe connecting angles are provided with a plurality of vertically spacedslots extending longitudinally Of the I-beam. In the illustration eacharm [4 is shown as provided with two such slots, but it will beunderstoodthat the number of slots may be greater if deemed necessarydepending upon the size of the I-beam that is to be connected to thecolumn and upon other conditions present in the particular structure. Itwill also be understood that the slots !5 although shown open at thefree edge of the arms I4 might be simply elongated openings in the armsas distinguished from open ended slots.

The web of the I-beam l0 and the reinforcing plates l2 where the latterare used are provided with vertically spaced open ended slots l6extending inwardly from the end of the I-beam and longitudinally thereofand corresponding in number to and aligning with the slots 15 in theconnecting angles, it being noted that the slots 15 and it are allparallel to each other.

When the I-beam is positioned between the arms I4 of the connectingangles the slots I5 and I6 register with each other and bar members I!are located in the registered slots, said bar members being designatedherein as shelf members. It will be noted that the upper bar or shelfmember I! has its upper surface in firm even bearing contact with theupper wall of the slot IS in the web of the I-beam and in thereinforcing plates l2 although there is clearance between said uppersurface of the shelf member ll and the upper wall of the slots IS in thearms [4 of the connecting angles. There is clearance between the lowersurface of the upper shelf member I! and the lower walls of the slots 15and I6. The lower ends of the upper shelf member ll are chamfered asindicated at l8 and these chamfered portions of the shelf member 16 arepermanently secured to the connecting angles by suitable means as, forexample, the butt welds indicated at I9.

The lower shelf member ll has its upper surface engaging the upper wallof the slots I 6 in the web of the I-beam and the reinforcing plates I2but with a clearance between said upper surface and the upper wall ofthe slots IS in the arms I4 of the connectin angles similar to the uppershelf member 11. It will be noted, however, that although the lowersurface of the lower shelf member ll does not contact the lower wall ofthe slots H5 in the I-beam web and the reinforcing plates, said lowersurface does contact the lower wall of the slots 15 in the arms [4 ofthe connecting angles and that the lower shelf member I! is permanentlyconnected to the arms [4 of the connecting angles by suitable means suchas the tack welds indicated at 20.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the shelf members are rigidlyconnected to the connecting angles while the web of the I-beam and thereinforcing plates merely have a firm even bearing contact with theupper surfaces of the shelf members, wherefore the I-beam can havemovement relative to the connectin angles and to the column, thusadequately providing for expansion and contraction of the I-beam.

It will also be noted that the lower surface of the lower shelf memberI! has firm bearing contact with the lower wall of the slots E5 in theconnecting angles and thus stability is imparted to the connection andthe vertical loads to which the I-beam is subjected are adequately takencare of. As already pointed out the I-beam bears simultaneously on theupper surfaces of the shelf members of the tier of shelf members. Itwill be noted that each shelf member is secured to the connecting anglesby welding when the I-beam has firm engaging contact with the up ersurface of the shelf member and consequentl the simultaneous bearingengagement of the I-beam with all of the shelf members in the tier isassured. Thus accurate dimensionin of the openings and shelf members isnot important.

As already stated, the vertical tier of shelf members may include agreater number of such members if desired, it being understood, ofcourse, that the number of vertically spaced slots may be increasedcorrespondingly. It will also be understood that in place of the openend slots, holes or openings elongated in the longitudinal direction ofthe I-beam might be employed.

The term horizontal as used is the claims is intended to cover beamsarranged at a slight inclination to the actual horizontal plane as, forexample, beams used in viaducts which follow the slope of the roadway.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described it will be understood that the invention is susceptible ofmodification and adaptation within the scope of the appended claims,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a structural steel construction, a connection between an end of ahorizontal structural member and a supporting structural membercomprising connecting angles having arms ar ranged on opposite sides ofthe web of said horizontal member adjacent the end thereof and armsadapted to be secured to the supporting member, said web and said firstmentioned arms being provided with a plurality of vertically spacedregistering openings elongated in the longitudinal direction of thehorizontal member, and supporting shelf members extending through theregistering openings in said web and said first mentioned arms, theupper walls of the web openings having even simultaneous bearing contactupon the top surfaces of the shelf members while the uper walls of theopenings in said first mentioned arms are out of contactwith the topsurfaces of the shelf members, the lower surface of one of the shelfmembers being out of contact with the lower walls of the openings invsaid web and in said first mentioned arms but with said shelf membersecured to said arms, another of said shelf members having its lowersurface out of contact with the lower wall of the opening in the web buthaving bearing contact with the lower walls of the openings in saidfirst mentioned arms and secured to said arms.

2. A structural construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein saidopenings are in the form of open ended slots extending from the end ofthe horizontal member and from the free ends of said first mentionedarms of the connecting angles.

3. Ina structural steel construction, a connection between an end of asubstantially horizontal structural member and a supporting structuralmember comprising connecting means carried by said supporting member andhaving portions arranged on opposite sides of the web of said horizontalmember adjacent the end thereof, said web and said portions beingprovided with a plurality of vertically spaced registering openingselongated in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal member, andsupporting shelf members extending through the registering openings insaid web and said portions, the upper walls of the web openings havingeven simultaneous planular surface bearing contact with the top surfacesof the shelf members while the upper walls of the openings in saidportions are out of contact with the top surfaces of the shelf members,the lower surfaces of the shelf members being secured to said portionswith the lower surface of at least one of the shelf members being 6 outof contact with the lower walls of the openings in said web and in saidportions.

JOHN R. FARRAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Mioton Oct. 17, 1933 OTHER REFERENCESStructural Members and Connection, H001 and Kinne, published byMcGraw-I-Iill, N. Y., 1923, page 335.

Details of Bridge Construction, part II, Plate Girders, Skinner,published by McGraw Publish- Number 20 ing 00., N. Y., 1906, page 135.

